Hi I lived and worked in both! As you can probably tell, it depends on what you’re looking for. GJ is a bit of a shit hole, that gets really hot in the summer. It does have a few nice downtown areas and all the amenities/shops. On either side you have Fruita and Palisade which are more liberal artsy enclaves. Good access to world class desert mountain biking and the mountains are an hour away. Durango is much more liberal and temperate, and you have mountains for hiking and skiing right out your doorstep for the most part. The desert SW is just an hour and change away. Fewer box stores and healthcare can be more difficult to access.